At this point, notwithstanding my respect for the President, I began to smell a rat.

“Oh, no, sir,” I replied, “usually very small.  Our business is not so extensive as we could wish.”

“Whatever,” said the President, looking me straight in the face, “whatever may be usual, at this moment you have a large sum—­a very respectable sum—­of money in your safe at the bank, waiting for investment.”

“How the devil do you know that?” I cried.

“Mr. Martin!  It is no doubt my fault; I am too prone to ignore etiquette; but you forget yourself.”

I hastened to apologize, although I was pretty certain the President was contemplating a queer transaction, if not flat burglary.

“Ten thousand pardons, your Excellency, for my most unbecoming tone, but may I ask how you became possessed of this information?”

“Jones told me,” he said simply.

As it would not have been polite to express the surprise I felt at Jones’ simplicity in choosing such a confidant, I held my peace.

“Yes,” continued the President, “owing to the recent sales of your real property in this country (sales due, I fear, to a want of confidence in my administration), you have at this moment a sum of three hundred thousand dollars in the bank safe.  Now (don’t interrupt me, please), the experience of a busy life teaches me that commercial reputation and probity depend on results, not on methods.  Your directors have a prejudice against me and my Government.  That prejudice you, with your superior opportunities for judgment, cannot share.  You will serve your employers best by doing for them what they haven’t the sense and courage to do for themselves.  I propose that you should assume the responsibility of lending me this money.  The transaction will redound to the profit of the bank.  It shall also,” he added slowly, “redound to your profit.”

I began to see my way.  But there were difficulties.

“What am I to tell the directors?” I asked.

“You will make the usual return of investments and debts outstanding, mortgages, loans on approved security—­but you know better than I do.”

“False returns, your Excellency means?”

“They will no doubt be formally inaccurate,” the President admitted.

“What if they ask for proofs?” said I.

“Sufficient unto the day,” said the President.

“You have rather surprised me, sir,” I said, “but I am most anxious to oblige you, and to forward the welfare of Aureataland.  There are, however, two points which occur to me.  First, how am I to be insured against not getting my interest?  That I must have.”

“Quite so,” he interrupted.  “And the second point I can anticipate.  It is, what token of my gratitude for your timely assistance can I prevail on you to accept?”

“Your Excellency’s knowledge of human nature is surprising.”